University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Program

Program Identity & Fit

The University of Wisconsin's anesthesiology program is a large, academic, quaternary-care residency rooted in the historical birthplace of the specialty (Dr. Ralph Waters' 1927 department), offering broad subspecialty exposure across a level 1 trauma center, an NCI-designated cancer center, one of the nation's largest transplant programs, and a standalone children's hospital, supplemented by rotations at Meriter (highest-volume obstetric service in the state) and a Northwestern OB anesthesia rotation. The program balances high clinical case volume (60th-95th percentile nationally) with a team-based model incorporating CRNAs and anesthesia assistants, protected academic half-days, a 24-hour simulation center, and a structured oral boards/OSCE curriculum reflecting strong investment in board success (99% ABA certification rate). Research is present and mentored (NIH-funded faculty, dedicated CA2/CA3 research electives, global health projects) but is not positioned as obligatory or central to every resident's path; instead the program explicitly supports divergent outcomes—fellowship at top programs, academic careers, private practice, or rural/community anesthesia. The department emphasizes camaraderie, resident well-being, and administrative/QI/global-health involvement as much as pure productivity, suggesting it values well-rounded residents who can thrive in varied future practice settings rather than a single narrow career track.